Royals play the Rangers in first of 4-game series

By Canadian Press on August 18, 2025.

Texas Rangers (62-63, third in the AL West) vs. Kansas City Royals (63-61, third in the AL Central)

Kansas City, Missouri; Monday, 7:40 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Rangers: Jack Leiter (7-6, 3.94 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 96 strikeouts); Royals: Michael Wacha (7-9, 3.35 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 101 strikeouts)

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Royals -131, Rangers +109; over/under is 9 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Kansas City Royals host the Texas Rangers to open a four-game series.

Kansas City has a 63-61 record overall and a 33-29 record in home games. The Royals have the fourth-best team ERA in baseball at 3.61.

Texas is 25-37 on the road and 62-63 overall. The Rangers have a 42-21 record in games when they record eight or more hits.

Monday’s game is the fourth time these teams meet this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Maikel Garcia has 32 doubles, five triples, 11 home runs and 55 RBIs while hitting .300 for the Royals. Adam Frazier is 16 for 37 with two doubles and a home run over the last 10 games.

Josh Smith leads the Rangers with a .266 batting average, and has 21 doubles, two triples, nine home runs, 41 walks and 30 RBIs. Ezequiel Duran is 10 for 23 with three RBIs over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Royals: 7-3, .273 batting average, 3.69 ERA, outscored opponents by 14 runs

Rangers: 2-8, .235 batting average, 5.76 ERA, outscored by 21 runs

INJURIES: Royals: Hunter Harvey: 15-Day IL (abductor), Steven Cruz: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Kris Bubic: 60-Day IL (rotator cuff), Jac Caglianone: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Cole Ragans: 60-Day IL (rotator cuff), Mark Canha: 10-Day IL (elbow), Michael Massey: 10-Day IL (ankle), Alec Marsh: 60-Day IL (shoulder), James McArthur: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Rangers: Jake Burger: day-to-day (wrist), Joc Pederson: day-to-day (undisclosed), Jon Gray: 15-Day IL (undisclosed), Sam Haggerty: 10-Day IL (oblique), Adolis Garcia: 10-Day IL (ankle), Jacob Webb: 15-Day IL (back), Chris Martin: 15-Day IL (calf), Tyler Mahle: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Cody Bradford: 60-Day IL (elbow), Josh Sborz: 60-Day IL (shoulder)

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

The Associated Press